MADDEN, DICKENS, KING by (me!) ~tops
as previously mentioned; i feed on documentaries
and so, the very second they started advertising the ALL MADDEN documentary, which was to air on Christmas Day; i set our TV to record it
we finally got the chance to watch it on Monday evening, December 27th, 2021, which it turns out was his last day alive. -But what an outstanding documentary! And, how blessed.. that it was released, and shared, and treasured by his whole family and the public at large before he did die, on December 28th. He lived an amazing, remarkable, wonderful life..
i couldn't possibly add on to what has already been said or filmed or written..
we have our personal John Madden memories, which we treasure
but, what made me stop. grab a pen, and any blank paper nearby (happen to be the blank page on the back of a Bible on the end table),
what made me stop and rewind and listen again, so i could capture verbatim..
it was Peter King's quote in the documentary; from an article he wrote for sports illustrated in (1999?)
it registers for me personally, as the second greatest quote in all of literature
-first place belongs to Charles Dickens
... it was the best of times, it was the worst of times...
and the reason that is so magnificent and such a stand out, is because no matter when you say it; it's true. Twenty years ago, or ten years from now.. last week, or next month.. -it is always true.
and although Peter King's quote is much wordier; less quotable in general conversation
i still love it, for the same reason
it doesn't matter when you say it; it's true. Twenty years ago, or ten years from now.. last week, or next month.. it will always be true.
here it is:
"What I've learned traveling around is this: People are nice. You go to a big city and you hear the world is going to hell; but it's not true. Small parts of it are, the whole isn't. You get out there and it makes you feel better about America; the thing works"
****
can't tell you how often my sexy and i... we share the same experience with different words.. but Peter King is Write!
we have been to the grocery store who knows how many times.. different restaurants.. hiking trips.. bike rides.. Nevada, Montana, Idaho, Washington, Oregon, Arizona, Utah, -every direction in California
and we have not personally encountered all the hate, violence, racism, ugliness which TV news shows, and/or social media broadcast on a 24/7, 365 basis
this is not to say that hate, violence, racism, ugliness in general is not happening; of course it is.
It's just that, if your only lens is the news and/or social media, then you are left with the impression it is much more wide spread, frequent and intense than it is if you get out in the world; see it with your own two eyes, and travel some
so i keep just re-appreciating what Peter King said and wrote..
"What I've learned traveling around is this: People are nice. You go to a big city and you hear the world is going to hell; but it's not true. Small parts of it are, the whole isn't. You get out there and it makes you feel better about America; the thing works"
"Thank You!"
and "Thank You!" John Madden for your positive impact.. magnificent contributions to the NFL, and to the world at large..
and "Thank You!" Charles Dickens.. it is only days away from being year 2022; and it is still! the best of times, and the worst of times
i.e., i pressed a couple buttons on my computer, and had a wooden shelf delivered to my front door; next day!
-during one of the worst pandemics in world history.
***
Let's all keep Thankin' God Jesus was born.. hallelujah & amen.
Afraid of becoming us? warnings to young adult children
"oh my goodness.. we are like our very own progressive commercial..."
dr rick,
have we put our kids at risk
- of posing with peace signs?
- tripping over tripods?
- repetitive mishaps with the 10 second camera timer...?
Merry Christmas Memory for (me!) sandra, tvgp
best part of Christmas is the kids comin' home.. and Justin has us watchin' Seinfeld.. it's been a while, and i'm so grateful for the revisit.. audible laughter every episode. and,
this CH
memories. great to gift unwrap for Christmas.
Thanking God Jesus was born... hallelujah & amen.
Intricate, Exquisite; of the rarest kind Where The Crawdads Sing (delia owens!)
admittedly i am the last among my family, friends to read it. i gifted it without having first read it myself based on testimonies alone. i know an authentic buzz when i hear it..
every page so rewarding..
equally enthralled by the characters, the setting, the plot, the language, the cadence, the overall story..
can't "thank you!" enough delia owens for writing it
a novel i want to gift-give the whole world
-i've read the movie comes out june 2022. "hurry! read it first"
hallelujah & amen
Independent Bible Study -for (me!) ~tops
Birds Love This; Squirrels Love That confirmed by (sexy! & tops!)
i first learned this lesson while working at alden lane nursery. it was one of my responsibilities to receive, price and then restock the mr bird, bird seed bells at each of the outside registers. problem was, one morning we noticed that over night, several of the bird bells had been dined on by
"squirrels! the squirrels did it..."
you could tell by the way the plastic protective wrapping had been chewed through
but then..
some got attacked, and some did not?
when i looked closer, and investigated
sure enough! pretty much every single one of the 'all season' bird seed bells were chewed through
but the 'flaming hot feast' bird seed bells were left alone.
i was very impressed the packaging was true..
BIRDS LOVE IT a delectable feast for an amazing variety of wild birds
SQUIRRELS HATE IT flaming hot feast will feed the birds and keep the squirrels away. repels squirrels.
how do scientists figure this stuff out?!? amazing!
***
the all season bells packaging should read: Squirrels Love It ; Birds not so much...
we were gifted an all season bell recently, and i did test again.. put it on the bird feeder out front
and not even a nibble.. zero activity from birds. so we placed it in the backyard on the edge of our tree container.. and
well,
who do we see making their way on the high wire here?
and sure enough...
i wonder if we'll ever be able to hand feed the squirrels in our backyard
like we handfeed the squirrels in monterey?
a worthy goal...
in any case.. everyone should have a bird feeder, and flaming hot feast bird bell outside
and a view from their window
how did i go so many decades without this? it brings
such joy on a daily basis
in Jesus name.. amen.
i spy my lucky number! (me!) ~tops #213 @writeousmom
Customized & Personalized Poster by (taryn kay!)
i was so moved to see this poster transformed by my daughter
and in it, i am introduced to the word "eunioa" for the first time
what a great word! what a gift to learn it!
and of course, love the inclusion of dr maya angelou's quotes & i rise poem
and then, if you love inspirational words, text, as i do..
your whole heart smiles just to see a blank area filled instead with:
she had gifted me this poster some time ago, because she had two;
it is displayed on the ceiling of my studio 213, so you can see the 'before taryn customized it' version
baby i love what you did with this poster! your artistry!
encore to how you fill space my love, hallelujah & amen
"Freed People; Free People" (nancy alcorn!)
watched a recent conversation between joyce meyer and her guest, nancy alcorn
they discussed how 'hurting people hurt people' -which is commonly said, and consistently true.
but i had not heard, " and freed people, free people"
and it is equally true! and beautiful!
it is all over the place in the Bible, and in every self-help book of secular or religious kind.
people breaking free from strongholds/addictions/fears/worry/anger, etc.
and then teaching others how to do the same
such a natural instinct..
and i've observed this over and over, what i wrote some long time ago now:
we come to earth with instructions.
what we love to do, instructs us on what we are here to do.
what suffering we endure
instructs us on who we are here to help.
***
yes. "thank you! nancy"
freed people, -they want so much to help free other people,
John 8:36
If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.
hallelujah & amen!
The Twelve Monotasks by (thatcher wine!)
it is the newest addition to my personally inscribed autographed book collection
and what leaped out..
MONOTASK
like, write away, i was saying out loud, "Thank You!" YES!
"MONOTASK!"
let us let go of the entire multitasking culture. and i can't even remember the first time i heard that word, multitasking.. but once it entered the language, i never stopped hearing it..
even when negative consequences were directly, blatantly, visible and experiential
(many articles on this, i never researched or had exposure to until now)
but rather
if/when there were negative consequences, the blame was on the given person
for not being able to multitask
but, i have witnessed and experienced and so, i am all in when it comes to
celebrating this book: The Twelve Monotasks
i have read it cover to cover,
and was pleased to see, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People mentioned in it; pg 72 (also an autographed book in my collection)
7 habits was my Bible during college. -which i gave a re-read not too long ago, and.. still so relevant; but outdated when it comes to cell phones, social media; things that had not manifested in our culture when 7 habits was written. 'multi-tasking' had not yet entered the scene..
anyway.. at almost 56 years old, retired.. i do not approach these books with the same hunger as i did in my 20's. I needed the actual lessons at that time.. now, i read to confirm/validate
so let me do that here, in a brief way
reading! love it! yes.. my head is in Joyce Meyer's purple book, the Bible, or an article, or a book with great frequency. any benefit comes from giving the words/pages/author my undivided attention. one sentence, one paragraph, one page, one chapter, one story at a time..
undivided attention (monotasking) is a great gift to give and to receive!
i do not try to read while simultaneously having a conversation.. watching tv..
my best reading is done when i get my 'fresh coat of paint' /that is; when i get my gray roots covered at the salon. i have to sit for 45+ minutes..
and, i like to read with a pen, highlighter, notepad..
there is great joy in getting lost in a story of fiction; or gaining knowledge from non
walking! yes.. my sexy and i walk every morning.. up a steep hill for cardio, along flat roads for the exercise, through parks for the nature and wildlife. we are often stopped in our tracks by the beauty of a tree, charm of a bird, activity of a squirrel -and have made several new friends by stopping to say hi and engage in conversation with others on the same path. (see listening) can i quantify how valuable these walks are? life changing! life enhancing! good for the mind, body, heart, spirit, soul...
listening! big YES! i will self-assess, and am proud to say, i consider listening one of my greatest skill sets. /i did get the only A+ in my class in college.. and have continued to 'actively listen' best i can to
-one person at a time!
and because i consciously, actively listen; and care.. i will mute the tv if someone is talking, or ask a person to wait just a minute, if i am listening to something important on tv
i cannot listen to the tv, or radio, and a person at the same time; someone loses..
i will wait my turn rather than try and talk over someone..
i will repeat back what i believe i heard to confirm..
it seems to me, in life, just like you have writers, you have readers, and some who do both;
same applies with listening and talking.
now, while i cannot listen to more than one person talking at a time..
and i do not believe in 'multi-tasking' on the whole..
i have learned about myself, that i can craft, create, make art.. and while i'm creating
i can also listen. -and listen well..
so, while i'm crafting in my studio.. this turns out to be a great time to have ted talks in the background.. or great music.. and i am hypertuned in to the lyrics..
-read about this sometime ago.. and was never concerned when my children doodled on the program at church during the sermons, because i knew they could doodle and listen at the same time. /i have archived some of these programs..
sleeping! yes! i have already overwritten on this topic.. it really should be number one in my opinion and experience; everything else relies heavily on you getting restorative sleep: your health, attitude, appetite, mood, energy, strength, patience.. on and on.
eating! -of course! i have eaten better in the past 4 years than ever in my life! and i have evolved into a very mindful of every bite eater.. really enjoying, savoring.. and i have discussed in other posts.. my own personal theory about a connection/correlation between how you feel when you eat..
not what food; not how many calories.. not nutritional value..
how you feel, as you are eating and drinking [happy; guilty; sneaking/cheating; deprived; disciplined; proud; grateful; blessed; rewarded; self-conscious; in or out of self-control]
getting there! -fun to read that thatcher's parents had my dream commute: downstairs to work; upstairs and home..
and i am retired now, so my stressful commute has been removed. Praise God! and "Thank You Sexy!" but i did find ways to reduce the stress.. i was always working at finding ways to reduce the stress: i stopped talking about the traffic and accidents i saw and faced everyday. i put on Christian or wonderful dance music, or intriguing talk radio. monotasking came more and more naturally to me.. because when i tried to take in the beauty around me "brakes!" "get out of my lane!" i learned i was better off staying exclusively focused on the road/drivers around me. with my own children, i have encouraged them to keep their commutes to work short. robert is a great example! he had such a high stress career as a deputy, but commuted only 10-15 minutes. always left early, so he wasnt adding unnecessary stress rushing to be on time; drove the speed limit.. relaxed and prayed in the parking lot before he got out and started his day. i believe this short commute x27 years is a contributing factor in his being able to retire with such a young/youthful healthy energy and spirit.
learning! -monotasking when you are learning is probably the easiest, because the very nature of learning (vs. practicing/improving something you already know) requires such devoted attention..
and reading, walking, listening, sleeping, eating,
all great prerequisites that help with the willingness, excitement to learn something brand new
years ago it was the flute
most recently; cooking
and it might look like multi-tasking in the kitchen with robert,
but even with many pots, pans, dishes, oven
one thing is being done at a time.. cutting the vegetables, cooking the steak.. boiling the water..
there might be switching from this to that.. but not this and that at the same time.
teaching!
when you learn; teach. -dr maya angelou
i have taught many writing workshops, craft classes, spiritual lessons; and thatcher is exactly write
even when we are not in an official teaching position; 'everyone in life is a teacher, in one way or another' in almost every conversation with anyone; anywhere.. we are learning, teaching, sharing, growing.. monotasking helps us become more conscious that the activity is taking place..
playing, seeing, creating,
our yard art hobby, and
indigenous word art hobby -each of these ongoing practices, monotasked
reaps great ongoing and increasing rewards! it is exactly how we describe it 'playing in the yard' and each installation is a new creation..
indigenous word art requires we look more closely at the nature around us.. feel, touch, rearrange
it increases our awareness, appreciation.. it is creative, fun, and the photo journal helps us relive wonderful places, people, experiences.. how can i word it? the way monotasking multiplies the rewards and multitasking, splintering everything, marginalizes and reduces them..
sharing here one of my more recent play/see/create monotask projects: i paper mosaic'd our fireplace one brick, one torn piece of paper at a time!
i am so grateful to help spread this beautiful, helpful, creative and productive, life enhancing word and lifestyle thatcher!
"MONOTASK"
and thinking! -my daughter will remember, my imaginary commencement speech at any given college
"learn to think for yourself"
wow, is it ever so important, with so much information; a constant bombardment of commercial, political, questionable, scientific, religious, secular news.. understanding motives.. cultures.. maturity.. values.. ethics.. capitalism.. democracy.. on and on..
the soundbites.. the headlines.. the graphics.. understanding who wants you to believe what for what reasons.. for whose gain..
yes; monotask listen.. and then monotask thinking about what you heard..
in Christian speak, we are flesh and spirit. I have found when i monotask, and think exclusively about how i am going to respond to a given situation
my initial response is usually 'fleshly' -reactionary; emotional; oversized/exaggerated for the circumstance at hand
and then, when i think through a variety of potential responses..
i can eventually align with the holy 'spirit' -higher, more mature, proper and correctly proportional response
but it is mono~ 'thinking' it through in advance, and not responding initially that yields the best results.
***
-that's (me!) monotask responding to the twelve monotasks.. the book of course goes into practical, interesting, inspiring detail.. memoir interwoven and the organization wonderful!: the art and science of monotasking; the specific task 1 - 12; facts; specifics on how it helps; assignments; mantras; reinforcements; task in your past; how you'll know you're good at it; what if's and now go!
"Congratulations on this book Thatcher Wine!" i will be gift-giving it proudly!
and now,
***
my entire reason for my very first visit to juniper books was a tv segment which shared about your
crazy awesome creative custom book cover printing for home and professional libraries
i had (have) never seen anything like it!
on my bucket list for sure!
but inspired to share here: well, i have only ever referred to it, as "the way i arrange my books"
but i will borrow from your vocabulary, which sounds much more impressive and poetic -and share here how i have designed and curated my home library: i am a lover of books, and admirer and student of many different authors who i have had the great honor to meet.. or see speak.. and have a treasured collection of personally inscribed, and/or autographed books in a variety of genres, along with a library of books i have just enjoyed reading and re-reading throughout the years; and books i have written, along with anthologies from my workshops.. i think it looks especially pretty slightly rearranged/altered with our Christmas decorations up..
and my dream, my dream, my dream of dreams! my 16+ years of blog posts in printed book form, with custom printed covers that reach across the shelves SHEsaysWITHaSMILE.blogspot.com
also, there are 9 years worth of unpublished archives between myself and leonard stegmann, so i dream of those blogs/comments being printed out in book form also, with juniper books covers across reading SQUIDMANN & SHE...
i really love that art form.. the way it transforms a book shelf/library! remarkable!
in Jesus hear my prayers' name.. and Merry Christmas to the Wine Family & Amazing Team at Juniper Books
amen.
Coffee for Conservatives Mount Rushmore Christmas Blend (ulysses grant!)
if you've read me at all, you know, that write about now,
my dad is sipping on a fresh hot cup of
mount rushmore and despite any/all political differences throughout the years.. among the things i am most, most grateful for.. no love has ever been lost between my dad and i... we evolved to be playful and lighthearted about it
dad: "you cancel out my vote today by voting.."
me: "you know i did"
and then we talk about other stuff, football, raiders, -football, raiders.. warriors.. he tells a few one liners and dad jokes that get me laughing.. we catch up on the family.. events of the week before.. what plans we have ahead..
and we always exchange i love you's before ending phone calls, or parting from visits.
but he was the very first person to come to mind when i learned about this mount rushmore coffee..
conservatives will love it! not just for the taste, but the message..
and i love it too..
i love it, not just for the taste, but for the creativity; entrepreneurial spirit, playful branding/graphics, the way stories become condiments for coffee blends and names..
George Washington's Rising Sun.. Columbus' Italian Roast... Benjamin Franklin's Electric Espresso..
so of course! Ulysses Grant's Christmas Blend.. he signed into law: Christmas as a federal holiday in 1870... -every coffee celebrates a founding father or American hero/icon and shares a little fun history, entertaining story
and now my dad sent me an email that showed he already ordered and received some Mount Rushmore Coffee..
(lightbulb!) that gave me the great idea of getting him a coffee mug for Christmas to go with his new patriotic coffees
Merry Christmas Dad!
& Congratulations! to you Mount Rushmore Coffee Company
and a Happy New Cheers!
your free brand ambassador /because i do not have a paypal account.
-Sandra, tvgp
2021 Christmas Bruch & Cookie Exchange Party hosted by my mom (Sharon!)
like i was sayin'
the greatest gift of all time for me personally; retirement: getting to stretch out and do at my own pace what i always had to squeeze in and do in a hurry when i was working/commuting/raising children, etc.
the joy is back in everything!
and because i love creating the packaging for the cookies for my mom's annual party
because i did have the time! and energy! and inspiration!
well, pure joy! and what i did this year
well, last year, my sexy and i purchased a dozen of these plastic champagne-shaped bottles at walmart that were full of miniture individually wrapped candies
so, i emptied all of those.. hid the candy in different drawers here and there
and snacked on them throughout the year..
and stored all the empty bottles just waiting for the cookie party
and then! i realized working with cardstock paper would be a little unnecessarily awkward, so i opted to paint foil Christmas tree colors, because it is so flexible and wraps easily
and then i adorned each Christmas tree champagne bottle with ribbon and sparkles
and "Thank You!" Deborah for gifting me with mini Christmas light necklaces
they were older, and so the batteries were dead.. instead of throwing them away, or using new batteries, they got recycled; repurposed, and help decorate the tree
perfect size! and then had to put a star on top.. and we pre-checked with a jar of mini biscotti from cost-co, and sure enough! i could get one dozen biscotti inside each container
blessed!
and, yes! getting to stretch out and do at my own pace "the baking!"
plus! we have double-ovens
i was burnt out on making the oatmeal, chocolate chip, walnut coconut cookies.. delicious yes, but i was looking for a new experience and new cookie..
i landed on biscotti, which i love, and knew from pictures i could make look extra Christmas-y and festive
"Thank you!" here to Kathy.. one of our sidewalk talks neighbors.. she gifted me with aniseed which was a stumbling block for me at the grocery store -skipping long story here..
anyway..
i got to spend an entire day! in my studio 213 creating Christmas Tree Cookie Containers; one at a time.. own pace; own way..
and then, an entire day! good morning to good night, double-baking biscotti.. and then frosting each one individually and adding a little Christmas sprinkles
own pace; own way..
nothing but joy!
and, i actually saw a number of 'heart seens' during the baking process, but only a took a picture of a couple. i will tell you though.. these cookies are anointed! made with so much love..
and that's why i believe they taste so wonderful! not just the physical ingredients; the spiritual ones
so,
my mom has been hosting these Christmas brunch/Cookie Exchange Parties for over 30 years
and, sometimes I like my packaging idea, but am not so proud of my cookies;
sometimes the cookies turn out okay, but the packaging is boring..
this year, felt great about both:
packaging & biscotti.
-sharing here, my packaging from 2020, which included painting/repurposing empty mixed nut containers from costco. had a great time! but the party was covid-canceled, so i just ended up gifting them out individually. it's so fun though.. and i am very grateful my mom throws this annual party.
this year, is the first time my daughter had to miss due to illness -and she is always so much fun.. and brings fun friends.. so, want to pause here to say "thank you!" to her friends, who, even though they didn't come in person, stayed the course with the baking and contributed some delicious Christmas Cookies. We missed having all three of you!
and close here with a "Congratulations!" to my mom for a very successful Bruch & Cookie Exchange Party. -That mixed berry french toast! with some fresh maple.. and the veggie egg casserole
Encore & Mimosa Cheers to you!
and i love the annual visit with your cherished friends and neighbors
how you warm welcome new guests
your signature touches with the Christmas socks.. the gift exchange game.. the LCR...
it's the most wonderful time of the year! Love You Mom
p.s. most amazing, beautiful Christmas tree! "Thank You!" for sharing...
Merry Christmas Bobbie!
Ciopinno Supreme & Vellum Days -with & for (sexy! & tops!) #VellumDays
Ciopinno Supreme -Cooking Lesson
Student: Sebastian Inspiration: Desire to make a delicious dish for his wife, Valerie
T.O. (that's deputy speak for training officer): Robert AKA "Mick" (my sexy)
and this lesson, which started at 9:30am, included the grocery shopping..
and concluded with dinner around 4:30pm
and while the men created their masterpiece in the kitchen,
valerie and i got to catch up with each other on life's current adventures, challenges & rewards
but, i do want to point out, i have included 'supreme' in the name of this ciopinno recipe
exactly because.. well, it sounds better than 'eater-friendly' or 'ready-to-eat'
but that is one of the distinctions
-with traditional ciopinno, the shells remain on the muscles, and clams and crab legs
-and it does look very pretty
but, also 'de-assembly', some gloves, a bib might be required
with Robert's tweaks and modifications to this recipe, which he originally cut from the mercury news newspaper many years ago
from tadich grill in san francisco
no regular fish is used; only shell fish, and!
all shells are removed, so you can 'dive write in' -to this amazing italian (un)shelled~fish stew
"Encore Sebastian!" -turned out perfect..
and a blessing to spend the day with the two of you!
***
now, i have no pix, but -speaking of supreme dining experiences, and friends who are a great blessing:
we just the other night, responded to an earlier invitation, with a spontaneous event, i will here call,
"the dynamic gumbo duo"
recipe experience.
"thank you!" to karl & valerie.. we were invited to their home for dinner, and when we learned the meal would be gumbo..
"we have some of robert's gumbo in the refrigerator at home write now!"
and we had talked about it during more than one prior conversation; -how valerie had taken a cooking class during a stay in new orleans.. with a renowned chef.. and this 45minute investment of time and energy stirring the roux until it yields a specific color.. how pleased with the result! what a wonderful gumbo..
and how one of Robert's best dishes ever, is his 5 star gumbo!
and so, "let's have a gumbo taste-off!" -some day..
and we hadn't planned it for this evening.. but, since the planets did align, we went for it
and,
no niceties, or flattery, or cajoling here
they really were BOTH utterly delicious; and yet, entirely distinguishable from each other in overall flavor.
talk about a win/win situation...
"Thank You!" for spoiling us again Karl & Valerie, with wonderful wines,
your spontaneous, playful spirits, a very fun and delicious gumbo duo experience,
fresh brownie dessert, and smooth diamond rum finish. -our conversations
are always engaging, enlightening, inspiring..
-we look so forward to having you over for our inaugural beef wellington surprise..
and we get to speak again! about awesome friends.. wonderful meals.. exciting celebrations...
"Happy Birthday Beautiful Maria!" -and give here lots of husband points to San Bruno for how he spoiled his Santa Maria.. -and it is the highest blessing i believe.. to have the bonds of friendship that these current and retired deputies have. -honored to be in your company.. always fun.. enormously grateful you have enfolded me in your circle -and bonus birthday gift
le perez and her husband bob joined the celebration.. and maria said with a big smile, "that made me feel very special!" i repeat it so often "these are the highest gifts! trustworthy, wonderful, loving true friends
and i could, but wont.. spend several pages here, writing about how for the almost, and 50+ years old community of people.. WOW! to how time, life experiences, season you.. help you to better appreciate, prioritize, value
****
and speaking of san bruno and santa maria... week prior, they invited us on what has been one of the more challenging (and therefore rewarding) hikes we've ever been on. -save only, mission peak in fremont.. this one was.. -but we made it! we did it! and the day's sky was cloudless and blue, the sun was shining.. the mountains (not hills people.. mountains) were such a gorgeous green. and we eventually rested for a bit at ed levin park.. there was a lake, and lots of fun shore birds.. and just pretty views in every direction. and they, john and maria, along with rito had recommended these hiking boots: merrells -which we, robert & i, both agree are the best shoes weve ever worn for anything.. and we have tested them! with 9+ hours at disneyland.. and 5 day or more morning walks around the neighborhood.. and on these more challenging and rewarding hikes, on sidewalks and dirt paths.. -and we are really looking foward to more and lots of hikes in 2022! "Thank You!"
and, my sexy and i.. during our morning prayers.. we say often, 'due season' continues. and we are referencing how rewarding our lives feel, now.. in our late 50's.. after some pretty traumatic and challenging times in life earlier on.. /even concurrently.. and we are referecing the Bible passage
Galations 6:9
but we have another thing we say, we say, "Thank You Jesus for our vellum days!"
and in order to understand and appreciate what we mean by that, you have to first know what vellum is.. and vellum is a type of paper i use a lot in crafting. it is see-through, and you mainly use it as an overlay, so.. text maybe over a picture in the background.. or vice versa..
and one day i was describing to my sexy.. i was like, "you know..
if i created and cut out 3 calendar squares on vellum
left: wonderful memory thanks & amen
center: this is the day the Lord has made Rejoice!
write: we are looking forward to...
we could pretty much just lift it up and place it one day over on the monthly calendar
like, all year long!"
because our lives have become so dense with back to back blessings! Praise God!
back to back, day after day, creativity and fun
day after day, great family, great friends, great meals, great times
in just the month of December, for example, we've had Vegas.. my mom's cookie party.. we have a family Christmas Dinner, we've had dinner here, and dinner there with friends, we've decorated.. created Christmas cards, invitations, our yard art.. we've had multiple celebrations..
and on this very morning.. should i place the vellum down
Yesterday, December 12th, My mom's cookie party & maria's birthday party
now, wonderful memories thanks & amen
Today: December 13th, Cleaning, cooking, writing, creating, preparing for family to arrive
this is the day the Lord has made, Rejoice!
and tomorrow, gifts of time, health, energy for final Christmas touches
and, retirement really has been the greatest gift of all time, for me.. the gift that keeps on giving! "Thank You Sexy!" Just getting to stretch out and do at my own pace, what I always had to squeeze in and do in a hurry before..
The joy is back in everything Praise God, Hallelujah & Amen!
